


just to love and be loved in return

by katestars131



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, another gilmore girl except she's a gilmore-danes girl, luke and lorelai would've had another kid idc, spoilers for Moulin Rouge? lol, this is such sweet garbage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:48:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katestars131/pseuds/katestars131
Summary: Luke and Lorelai's youngest experiences her very first heartbreak, and they do their best to pick up the pieces. (Post-original series, does not follow AYITL timeline.)
Relationships: Luke Danes/Lorelai Gilmore
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35





	just to love and be loved in return

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing stories where everyone just has more babies and then those babies grow up, so I apologize because this barely has a plot, but I had fun doing it.

_Hey Mom, you might want to check on Molly today? She didn’t necessarily say exactly what’s going on, but she had very little to say at all. She just sorta called me before softball practice and had nothing to say. It seemed out of character._

Lorelai sighed and typed out a quick response to her oldest daughter, thanking her for the dish. There were times when she felt especially grateful that her daughters were so close, even with an almost 23-year age difference, and this was certainly one of them. Something had seemed off with Molly anyway, and even Luke had mentioned something just the night before when they’d gone to bed.

Whereas Rory was more likely to come to her mother directly with her problems (sometimes, at least,) Molly was definitely a daddy’s girl. She’d go from brash and bouncy and talkative, the kind of kid willing to snark and laugh with you, to dead silent and stone faced, hyper-fixated on something like a school project or volleyball or softball practice.

She was lost in that train of thought, thinking about her very much Luke-like kid, when her phone vibrated again, this revealing a text from Molly to both her and Luke in a group text called “Crap Shack Squad:”

_Staying late to use the indoor batting cages in the gym—been dropping my shoulder all week._

Lorelai took a deep breath, and before she could respond (not that she really understood everything about the sports her kid liked so she had taken a moment to figure out what “dropping my shoulder” meant anyway,) another text came through from her youngest.

_Love you guys._

Lorelai had to laugh for a moment because the kid really was just like Luke. She’d get through whatever was wrong eventually, and she’d probably just need to work it through, but Lorelai wanted to make sure she knew she had a great support system—not just from her sisters but from her parents too. She smiled again when Luke “liked” the messages. (Molly had taught him to do that a while ago, and it had become rather useful.)

When she left her office at the Dragonfly, waving goodbye to Michel as he dealt with a customer at the check-in desk, she knew she needed a plan. It would have to be something not particularly forward because “particularly forward” would send Molly right to her room, grumbling about some kind of AP Chemistry homework. Luke would be closing at the diner tonight, so it’d just be Lorelai and Molly for dinner, making it easier to make some time for girl talk. She’d already planned on picking something up from the diner to eat anyway, so that was another easy hoop to jump through. Not like she didn’t always stop at the diner on the way home if Luke was still there. It was nice to be a married person who actually likes to see her spouse.

She’d already “placed her order,” so to speak: a burger and fries for her, BLT with extra bacon for Molly—Ms. “I have to stay slim while I’m in season,” as if she hadn’t inherited the blessed Gilmore girl metabolism—and two slices of apple pie for dessert. Molly had off from school for a teacher’s in-service tomorrow, so Lorelai reminded herself to stop for some extra ice cream, since her daughter was often one to splurge when she was off from practice (negating her whole thing about staying in shape for the season, but she was Lorelai’s girl after all, and nothing could keep her from ice cream.)

Lorelai sort of mindlessly made her way from the inn to the diner, smiling at her husband as he worked the counter, hearing the familiar bell ring. Luke grabbed the bag from behind him, setting it on the counter as he returned her smile. She took her seat, and he handed her a to-go cup of coffee.

“My favorite kind of greeting,” she grinned, leaning forward for a kiss, which he gave her quickly. “Hi, doll.”

“Hey.” He stopped wiping the counter for a moment and adjusted his baseball cap. “I threw a couple extra fries in there. Molly didn’t ask for them, but she always eats yours, so they’re there if she wants them.”

Lorelai smiled again. This was a guy who just absolutely loved his kids, and she’ll never understand that he ever thought he wasn’t cut out to be a dad. He’s the best dad out there. Truly, like, the kind of dad there should be an award out there for. Lorelai liked to make sure he knew that often.

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that, babe.” She took a sip from her coffee, gearing up to mention their daughter’s weird mood, but Luke beat her to it.

“Did you see Molly’s message?” She nodded, wanting to mention his “no cell phones” rule but thinking the better of it. “She doesn’t have practice tomorrow since they’re off school, so I guess it makes sense that she’s staying late. Did she seem upset to you this morning?”

“Yeah, actually. I was just going to mention that.”

“She stopped by this morning on the way to school, but she just poured a cup of coffee and didn’t have much to say.” Luke wiped his brow, his oft-mentioned confusion about the ways of teenage girls awash on his face. “It’s probably that stupid boyfriend of hers.”

Lorelai’d had herself. “I thought we were making more of an effort to like Noah. Besides, it very well could be school related, or academic decathlon, or National Honor Society, or softball, or volleyball, or one of the hundred other athletic things she does that I’ve never fully understood.”

“As long as you’re her biggest cheerleader, you don’t need to understand the rules.” Luke smiled. “You gonna talk to her when she gets home?”

“Yes, I will do my very best to pry it out of her, but she’s more like you than you think she is. She might haul her cute butt up the stairs and mope in her room or do homework on a weekend night or something just so she doesn’t have to talk about her feelings.”

Luke rolled his eyes, but after all this time, she knew the differences between his many eye rolls, and this was one of the affectionate ones.

“I hope she leaves the gym before dark.” He looked out the window, a small amount of worry washing over his face, which Lorelai found endearing every day. “I hate when she drives in the dark.”

It was mid-spring, nearing the end of Molly’s high school softball season, meaning the days were getting longer and longer, so there really wasn’t anything to worry about, but this was Luke’s baby. Lorelai’s too, and she trusted her, but she was the same way. She just never liked to admit it. Luke’s the one who gets to be overprotective.

“I’m gonna head home to try to head her off. Text me when you’re on your way home?” Lorelai stood from her stool, reaching for her takeout bag. Luke nodded, leaned forward for another kiss, which Lorelai happily accepted, relaxing for just a moment but still worried about whatever conversation (or lack thereof) would be waiting for her that night.

“Caesar has it covered here tomorrow. I figured I’d take Molly out on the lake while you’re at work if she’s up for it.” Luke suggested. His wife kissed him again.

“You really are the best dad in the world. I love you.”

“Eh, I had a good teacher when it came to the subject of parenting. See you at home.”

Luke had lots of ways of saying I love you. “See you at home” had always been one of Lorelai’s favorites.

* * *

She beat Molly home, getting the ice cream into the freezer and queuing up a couple of movies Molly might want to watch if she feels so inclined after all of her girl talk frustrations are poured out. There were a couple of musicals and some documentaries—“a couple of things Mommy can actually enjoy too,” she’ll say if it comes up. She’s used to it by now.

Tires roll up into the driveway, and if it weren’t for the telltale sound of Molly’s blaring radio. She seemed to have no regard for the state of her ears—something Luke nagged her about on a daily basis—or the state of her car’s speakers, but Lorelai always found it really cute. She was always a musical kid, quickly able to find the beat of a song or relating to the lyrics she heard. She had great taste too, but it was really specific too. Certain genres and certain songs were pretty telling of what kind of mood she was about to catch her kid in. She focused really hard for a moment, the music still playing from her driveway, muffled a bit by the walls of the house, but she could just make it out.

Radiohead.

_That means boyfriend problems. Lovely._

The music stopped, signaling that she’d turned her car off, and Molly turned her key in the door, even though she must have known her mom was home alone so the door was probably unlocked. (Old habits die hard.) The familiar thud of her equipment bag by the door rang through the house, and Lorelai took a deep breath in the kitchen, beginning to heat up their dinner.

“Mom?” She heard before she could call out to alert Molly of her whereabouts.

“In the kitchen.”

Molly emerged, dark brown hair wet and just brushing her shoulders in double French twists, leaving wet marks on her light grey Stars Hollow rec league softball t shirt, toned muscular legs hidden by a pair of baggy sweats, rolled on her hips. She only ever showered at the gym when she was in a really foul mood. Lorelai had figured that one out a while back.

“Hi, sweets.” She smiled softly at her girl, whose blue eyes searched all over the kitchen. Lorelai beat her to the question she probably wasn’t going to ask. “I picked up dinner. BLT with extra bacon.”

“Thanks.” Molly’s voice was soft, but her face was grateful. She couldn’t seem to muster up a smile, but she took her plate and sat at the kitchen table. She was an athlete and certainly didn’t miss a meal, even when she wasn’t feeling so great. Her mother certainly appreciated that.

“Your hair’s wet.” _Good, say something dumber, Lorelai._

“I showered in the locker room. Did a lot of extra hitting.” She picked at the crust of the wheat toast holding her sandwich together.

“I figured. You don’t smell nearly as bad as you usually do when you come home from whatever athletic event I don’t understand. Plus, this t- shirt doesn’t have the Rocky Balboa-like sweat stains on it.” Lorelai sat across from Molly, popping a fry into her mouth and hoping to get a kug out of the kid. She managed a small chuckle, but Lorelai knew it was just for her own benefit. It wasn’t reaching Molly’s normally bright eyes, and that hurt.

“Dad’s closing tonight, so it’s just us for a couple hours.” Lorelai brought up gently. “He sent me home with some apple pie. I figured a couple movies, some dessert? All the snacks we hide in the cabinet above the fridge and pretend he can’t find?”

“I don’t know.” Molly said quietly around a bite of her sandwich. “I might go to bed early, I guess.”

“It’s the weekend for you, hon, and you don’t have practice tomorrow. Let’s live a little.” Lorelai suggested, knowing that if she pushed enough of Molly’s buttons gently, she might be able to get what she’s looking for.

“Look, I don’t really feel like it, okay?” Molly finally met her eyes, and Lorelai’s heart broke when she noticed the unshed tears in her eyes.

“Mol, what’s going on?” Lorelai knew then it was time to just ask. “Talk to me for a second.”

“It’s a case of the Mondays, I don’t know.”

“Okay, Karen Carpenter. It’s Thursday.”

“I have a lot of homework to do.”

“This isn’t a homework thing, and I know it. Come on, babe.” Lorelai internally groaned as she showed a bit of her hand on that play. She knew from Rory that Molly was upset, and she’d obviously read the other obvious signs, and while she was sure Molly was privy to all of her tricks after almost 17 years, she didn’t need to let them all out of the bag yet.

“How do you know?” Molly’s eyes narrowed, letting Lorelai know she was getting somewhere.

“Hello, been doing this whole ‘mom’ thing since I was your age. I’ve been a girl a lot longer than that, and you’re half me and half Luke—two of the people I happen to know best in the world. Plus, I know that when you shower in the locker room and stay long at practice you’ve got some frustrations to work out.” She noted that Molly began to deflate, the defensive tension overtaking her body, squeezing her little muscles so tight sort of dissipating. “Maybe you don’t want to talk, but I’m gonna sit here until you want to because I know it’s going to feel better when you do.”

Molly reached for a fry on her mom’s plate, where Lorelai had stashed all of the extras Luke had sent her home with, knowing Molly would refuse her own allotted serving of them. She bit her lip for a moment, reaching to adjust the loose collar of her t-shirt as if it were choking her. Lorelai saw more and more of Luke in her every day, thinking of the way Luke always seemed angry at something small when he was upset about something else, his inability to meet anyone’s eyes when he was upset. Molly’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“I think Noah and I are done.”

It came as a bit of a shock to Lorelai. Much like Rory and Dean, Molly and Noah had become the talk of the town when he asked her to the homecoming dance the year prior—when he was a junior and she was just a sophomore. They had been seeing each other ever since, and as head over heels as Molly was, Noah always seemed to rub Luke the wrong way. He’d mentioned early on that, while Lorelai’s first inclination was to think of a 16-year-old Dean, all Luke could see was a young Jess, re-angered over the way his nephew had treated Rory. Lorelai hadn’t wanted to believe it then, but she was a little worried she would have to now.

“What? Oh, hon, I’m sorry.” Lorelai’s hands fell into her lap as she held back her instinct to reach for her baby girl. It felt like Rory’s first heartbreak all over again, the decade’s old memory rushing back to Lorelai.

“It’s really bad.” Molly’s voice started to crack, but she wouldn’t look at her mom, almost as if she couldn’t. “Apparently, he thinks I’m selfish and I don’t have enough time for him.”

“What the hell does that mean? You are quite literally the most selfless kid I know. You volunteer to read to old people at the library. You help at literally every sports camp between here and Hartford. You tutor on the weekends.” Lorelai felt her own anger begin to rise, a frustrated pressure in her chest she had only felt a couple of times before. “You do all of that and still have good grades and kick all the other girls’ asses in every game you play, and you have a boyfriend on top of that. It’s a wonder you even have time to breathe.”

Molly shook her head, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. “Well, apparently he thinks that I’m selfish and that I don’t spend enough time with him because apparently all that I care about is myself. He thinks I’m just building up my resume so I can get out of Stars Hollow after graduation and blow him off.”

Lorelai’s face contorted into something incredulous and angry. She was pissed. Luke was not going to take this well, but the main focus right now was getting those tears out of her little girl’s eyes.

“I seriously can’t believe this, Molly. He’s ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous.”

“Oh, don’t worry! It gets even worse.” Molly’s shoulders flinched in an angry shrug, her braids flinging backwards in her frustration. “You know how he was always saying he was working at that music store in Woodbridge? Yeah, he had another girlfriend, and he was probably seeing a bunch of other girls too. At least, that’s what everyone seems to be saying. Martha texted me a picture of him kissing some girl at a cafe where she’d stopped for coffee. God knows what he’s doing with them! He couldn’t really deny it, so I guess I have to take him at his word. When I asked him about it, he acted like it was all my fault.”

Her anger subsided into a sob, and Lorelai couldn’t take another moment. She quickly scooped a now compliant Molly into her arms, the girl beginning to cry into her shoulder.

“Oh, baby.” She whispered, a soothing hand twisting her daughter’s braids. “Oh, Mol…”

Lorelai let her cry for as long as she needed, giving her the few minutes she seemed to require. She ran her hand over her daughter’s back, the way she used to when she’d cry as a baby. Molly had never been a fussy kid, but sometimes she needed a rub on the back and a shoulder to cry on. She’d always be that way.

“Why is this not good enough for Noah? Why doesn’t he love me?” Molly did her best to catch her breath, seeming to have a hard time with it. “All I do is work hard. All I do is try to make everybody happy! Why doesn’t he care that I want to be happy? How am I selfish, for wanting to be happy, Mom? Why am I not good enough? Why does he have to fucking hurt me like this?”

The shock of hearing her daughter swear for the first time was not lost on Lorelai, but all of the horrible questions Molly asked, muffled into her neck which was now wet with hot tears, took up the most space in her mind. Some idiot high school boy had her kid doubting her worth, and she was enraged.

“This sucks, Molly.” She kissed her daughter’s head. “I know that, right now, this feels like the worst thing that has ever happened to you. This feels like the absolute end of the world. I know every bit of that feeling.”

Lorelai trailed off and pulled back, hoping to get Molly to look at her but knowing that the kid was probably embarrassed to be so upset. She wasn’t exactly like this all the time.

“You feel like you’ve pushed him away because you’re ambitious and because you devote time to all of the other things you love. Baby, if he can’t handle that, then it sounds like he can’t handle you.”

“You’re just saying that.” Molly wiped angrily at one of her eyes, but Lorelai reached up to hold her chin in place, making sure those eyes she’d given that kid were looking right at her.

“Believe me. If I thought you screwed this up, I’d tell you. Ask Rory. I gave her a pretty good one after she made a big relationship mistake quite a long time ago. I even let April know that she’d made a bit of a mistake in her relationship with James a couple years ago. Now they’re engaged. I’m a truth teller in these situations. I love giving other people advice, even if I was once notoriously bad at taking my own.” Molly sniffled and then looked absolutely disgusted with herself for having done so, and Lorelai knew she was gonna get that kid back somehow.

“I just don’t get it.” She exhaled, defeated and still crying.

“Every single thing you described, all of those other things that idiot thinks of as wastes of your time? Those are the things you love. They’re the things that make you happy. Has that boy ever made you feel the same way that hitting a home run does? Or making a little girl at volleyball camp smile? Or when that guy you were tutoring in Algebra II got an A in his test?”

Molly shook her head, her braids swinging just a bit, reminding her of the little kid Luke was pushing on a swing in the park what seemed like yesterday. This was one of those times she needed a push, and Lorelai was happy to provide.

“There’s gonna be a guy—or girl, no judgement—out there for you who’s going to love how much you love everything you do. Somebody’s going to love how passionate you are, how much you want to help people, how much you love being part of a team. You’re not even 17 years old. That person is coming for you, Mol.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead and pulled her as close as she could get her.

“And that was Dad for you?” She asked quietly like a little girl hoping to learn how her parents fell in love. Molly’d heard that story plenty of times. Lorelai nodded with a smile.

“Sometimes you have to wait a while, and sometimes they're right in front of you for a long time without you even knowing.” She played with one of Molly’s braids. “Your dad has always been my biggest cheerleader, and he always will be. He’s yours too, you know.” Molly nodded firmly. “But, anyway, he’s always been happy for me, more excited than me at times every single time something huge was happening for me. Luke believed in me before anybody else, and he pushed me to find the things I deserve. That is what you deserve, Molly, not someone who runs away at the drop of the hat because he can’t handle your worth.”

Molly nodded, pondering on all of it for a while.

“It’s, uh, gonna be a while before I feel all the way okay again, isn’t it?” She sounded downtrodden, but there was some inclination that she was hopeful, under all that. Knowing she was gonna be better was the first step.

“It might be a little bit, babe.” Lorelai ran the pad of her thumb over each of Molly’s tear tracks. “However, there’s nothing in the world a little bit of wallowing, ice cream, and crying to mommy can’t fix. You can cry to Daddy too, obviously, but seeing you cry might make him cry.”

That one finally got a laugh out of Molly, who hugged her mom tightly. Lorelai reveled in the feeling, holding on as tightly as she could muster.

“Does the offer still stand for apple pie and movies?”

“I’d never rescind it, hon.”

“Awesome.” A deep sigh escaped her mouth, and all Lorelai could think was just how young her baby looked at that moment, even as she was growing up so quickly. First heartbreaks can do that to a person.

“Kid, you’re so incredible.” Lorelai couldn’t help but gush, even for a moment. “I just want to make sure you know that, okay?”

“Are you gonna finish those fries?” Molly wouldn’t acknowledge the compliment (as she hated being complimented,) but a blush spread across her cheeks, different from the crying redness that had been there just before. Lorelai grinned, fighting her own tears for a moment.

“Finish? Maybe not, but if you eat them all, it’s gonna be Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in this kitchen.”

“I always liked Helena Bonham Carter best in that movie. I’ll get the ketchup.” She kissed her mom on the forehead, and that alone let Lorelai know that she was going to be okay eventually, even if she was probably just masking some of that hurt right now. The fridge opened and closed behind Lorelai’s back, but Molly was in no hurry to get back to the table. “Hey, Mom?”

“Yeah?” Lorelai popped a fry in her mouth.

“When I go to college next year,” Well, that got Lorelai’s attention. “Can I get a copy of this to bring with me?”

Lorelai turned and spied the photo Molly had her eye on: Molly at 12, braids like she had in right now, in a blue cap and matching jersey, arm around her beloved Grandpa Richard’s neck, where he was wearing a matching blue cap along with her. It was from the day she’d hit her first home run. When he was around, he had never missed a game. Luke coached the team. It had been a special summer, one nobody had wanted to let go of.

“You know it, baby.” Lorelai knew the question had been brought on by the emotion of the day, and she was reminded just how hard losing Richard had hit Molly just two years before. “He would be very proud of you right now, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Molly came back and sat down, emotion heavy on her face for a moment as she poured a perfect circle of ketchup onto her place. She tried her best to laugh. “He definitely would’ve hated Noah, right?”

“Oh, I’d have bet the house on it.” Lorelai laughed right along with her.

* * *

A little less than three hours and one very emotional viewing of Moulin Rouge later, Molly’s cute little head laid in Lorelai’s lap, her mother having taken her hair out of the braids to soothingly massage her scalp as she pretended not to cry throughout the movie. She seemed to finally be asleep, her breathing having evened out right as Satine succumbed to tuberculosis.

Lorelai had moved on to Burlesque, mostly because it had just started playing and her kid was asleep on top of the remote, when Luke gently opened and closed the front door, clearly looking to see if the coast was clear for him to come in. Lorelai waved to him with her free hand and smiled. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he came over and kissed her, eyes falling on Molly in her lap.

“Hi, hon.” She whispered. Luke couldn’t wipe the concern off of his face, and it was the sweetest thing Lorelai had ever seen. “I didn’t see all of your very concerned update texts until after we talked, and then she wanted to jump right into a movie. I’m sorry if that freaked you out.”

Luke waved it off, but she knew he was probably worried sick. “Is she alright? Not that I don’t feel all mushy seeing her like this, but she hasn’t fallen asleep in your lap since she was, like, 12.”

“Noah cheated on her.” Lorelai kept her own voice down, but Luke seemed to have a hard time with that for a moment following.

“I’m sorry, what?” His voice was certainly above a whisper, and that vein in his forehead began to protrude, overprotective dad mode activating rather quickly. Lorelai shushed him, and he faltered a bit. Molly didn’t stir in his lap.

“Yeah, he made it seem like it was all her fault, like she doesn’t make enough time for him or only cares about sports and school and not him, so I reminded her that she’s doing everything she can to be the best person she can be.”

“She doesn’t need some stupid boy for that. She’s amazing. I’m gonna kill that kid. I’m gonna-”

“Okay, killer, take it easy. I know you never liked him, but your daughter certainly did. She probably still does a little. Let her ease into it. We just need to be there for her when she needs us and even when she thinks she doesn’t.” She reached out and held onto Luke’s hand. He squeezed hers, rubbing his thumb over the back gently. His eyes fell on Molly, whose hand were tucked under her head. “Right now, she’s a big pile of mush.”

“She’s cute like that. It’s almost like she’s still little.”

“I can hear you, you know.” A sleepy voice grumbled from Lorelai’s lap. Molly’s parents both smiled while she opened her eyes and looked between them. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, you. How much of that did you hear?” Luke looked down at his shoes, embarrassed, but Molly shrugged just a bit.

“Oh, you know, enough.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’ll give you all the dish in the morning, if you’d like as long as you don’t go on a killing spree. I prefer my father outside of jail.”

He rolled his eyes at her affectionately and smiled again, the small sadness in his eyes not lost on Lorelai as she watched the interaction.

“You got it. I have off tomorrow too. You wanna go fishing or just for a boat ride out on the lake tomorrow?” He asked, pushing at her now-bent knee like he always had when she was a kid and they’d wrestle.

“I wouldn’t miss it, Pops.”

“Stop calling me that.” Luke grumbled.

“I will quite literally never stop doing that just so that I can see that funny little vein in your forehead twitch.” Molly joked, hearing her dad’s familiar “Ah, jeez” fill the air in the room. “Will you catch for me tomorrow after we get back? I don’t have practice, but I don’t want my arm to get stiff between now and Monday’s game.”

“Of course.”

“Awww,” Lorelai interrupted, not wanting to miss another moment of conversation but having loved every moment of watching the two of them together just like she had for all these years. “You two are gonna have all your little sports fun without me. Where does that leave Mommy, huh? In the dust?”

“Leaves her bringing home the bacon.” Molly elbowed her. “Dad, we could have lunch at the inn? I’m dying for one of Sookie’s orange cranberry muffins.” Luke nodded, and a huge yawn overtook Molly’s features. She must have been exhausted after all of the crying and the stress and the practice.

“You should get some sleep, Molly Pitcher.” Lorelai quietly suggested. “Sounds like you’ve planned a big day for yourself tomorrow. Make sure you call Rory tomorrow? You don’t have to fill her in on all of the deets yet, but she’ll want to know you’re okay.”

Molly nodded and sat up, stretching her back before kissing each parent on the cheek warmly, the way she somehow never forgot to do every single night.

“I’ll call Rory in the afternoon. I forgot to answer April’s text this afternoon too. I’ve been a terrible sister.” She ran a hand through her hair before looking to each of her parents. “Hey, um… thank you both. I’m sorry I’m such a pain.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed and he ruffled her hair, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and kissing the top of her head.

“You couldn’t be less of a pain if you tried. It’s kind of a miracle.”

“Yeah, what he said.” Lorelai smiled sleepily. “Goodnight, babe.”

“Goodnight, you guys. I… uh… love you.” With one last little wave, she trudged off to her bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her. She’d shortly succumb to her exhaustion. That much Lorelai knew. Even if she would soon have a few rough nights of sleep thinking about some stupid boy, this one should at least start out pretty easily.

Luke took Molly’s place on the couch, wrapping his arm around his wife and kissing her temple.

“She’ll be okay.” He said knowingly. Lorelai nodded.

“I reminded her that there’s somebody out there for her who’s gonna believe in her and support her every step of the way forever.” Lorelai shrugged, leaning on his shoulder. “I just hope she’s smarter than me and sees it in front of her face a little more quickly than I did.”

“You certainly do know how to make a guy wait.” Luke joked gently. “I love you anyway.”

“Anyway? Just what every girl wants to hear.” Lorelai smirked. “You’re the best, hon, and she’s gonna love having that time with you tomorrow.”

“She’s not the only one. Whatever she needs, she knows I’d probably go to the end of the earth and back three times to get it.”

“She won’t forget it, and neither will I.”

They sat quietly like that for a few minutes, Lorelai’s movie forgotten in the quiet background but their daughter’s now present snores coming through, muffled by the walls. Lorelai assumed she was smiling, but she was exhausted too.

“I’m still really glad we both saw what was right in front of our faces.” Luke murmured, and Lorelai’s heart fluttered. Still, after all these years. They were probably the most embarrassingly in love parents out there.

“Yeah?” She sighed contentedly. “Me too.”  
  



End file.
